Window assembly



sept. 19, 1967 Al F. SALTER WINDOW AS SEMBLY Filed May 25, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet l sept. 19, 1967 A. F.- SALTR 3,342,243

WINDOW ASSEMBLY Filed May `25, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5f MMM a I INVENTOR.

sePt- 19, 1967 A F. sALTl-:R 3,342,243

WINDOW ASSEMBLY Filed May 25, 1965 5 Sheets-Smeltl I5 fr) I ff *l gli ge INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,342,243 WINDOW ASSEMBLY Albert F. Salter, Hatfield, Pa., assigner to Teleilex Incorporated, North Wales, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 25, 1965, Ser. No. 458,560 9 Claims. (Cl. 160-107) This invention relates to a Window assembly including a window frame rotatably mounted in a window casing and having a Venetian blind mounted between two panes of glass which are disposed in the window frame, driven means attached to the window frame for actuating the Venetian blind, drive means disposed on the other side of the mounting connection between the Window frame and the window casing than the driven means, and a flexible motion transmitting cable interconnecting the drive means and the driven means so that upon actuation of the drive means the ycable is moved to operate the driven means for actuating the Venetian blind.

Venetian blinds per se are well known in the prior art and are typically actuated by one or more rope-like cords hanging along the sides of the Venetian blind so that they may pull to position the blind. Such rope-like cords are not satisfactory for use with a Venetian blind which is disposed between two panes of glass in a window frame because the cords would have to pass through the window frame and since such cords are subject to fraying and breaking by contact with the window frame, the entire window frame would have to be dismantled in order to replace the rope-like cords each time one of the cords broke.

The actuating mechanisms which have been utilized with such window frames to actuate the Venetian blind, therefore, are normally rigid constructions attached to the window frame. For example, a rack and pinion arrangement has been utilized frequently to actuate a Venetian blind by rotatably mounting a gear on the window frame such that it engages a rack slidably disposed on the window frame and operatively connected to the control elements of the Venetian blind. Other actuating mechanisms have utilized rods or links disposed within the Window frame and connected to the control elements of the Venetian blind.

Often window frames having a Venetian blind disposed between two panes of glass are rotatably mounted in a window casing so that the window frame may be rotated to an open position so that air may pass through the window casing into or out of the building in which the window casing is mounted. When a window frame is thus rotatably mounted in a window casing, the rigid actuating mechanisms of the type heretofore available cannot ybe utilized since the mounting connection for rotatably mounting the window frame to the window casing occupies a major portion of the width of the window frame so that such rigid actuating mechanisms cannot be attached to the Window frame so as to extend past such mounting connections. Therefore, the actuating mechanisms which have heretobefore been utilized are rigid and complex to the extent that it is necessary to attach the entire actuating mechanism to a rotatable window frame as close as possible to the control elements of the Venetian blind and on one side of the rotatable connection between the window `frame and the window casing. That is to say, the disposition of the control elements of the Venetian blindA at the upper end of the window frame necessitates the attachment of the prior art actuating mechanisms on the window frame in closely spaced relationship to the top of the frame so as to be disposed above the rotatable connection between the window frame and the window casing, thereby preventing the positioning of the manually operable portion of the actuating mechanism at various positions about the window frame, such as, for example, at the readily accessible bottom of the window frame. In addition, the rigid actuating mechanisms known to the prior art will not allow the manually operable portion of the actuating mechanisms-to be displaced remotely from the Window frame and window casing. For example, actuating mechanisms of the type heretofore utilized in the prior art may not be satisfactorily adapted for use with all windows so that the manually operable control member of the mechanism may be disposed in a wall in a hospital room adjacent a bed therein at a position remote from a rotatable window frame so that a hospital patient may manually control the position of a Venetian blind in the window frame without leaving the bed.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide a window assembly including a window frame rotatably mounted in a window casing with a Venetian blind secured to the window frame between two panes lof glass and a remote control assembly for actuating the Venetian blind, which remote control assembly is suitably adapted to be operatively connected to the control elements of the Venetian blind adjacent the upper end of the window frame and extend past the mounting connection between the window frame and the window casing to a manually operable means which may be disposed anywhere about the Window frame or at a position remote from the window casing.

In general, these and other objects and features of this invention may be attained by a window assembly including a window casing, a window frame, and a mount means for rotatably mounting the window frame in the window casing. A pair of spaced panes of glass are disposed in the window frame and a Venetian blind is secured to the window frame between the panes of glass. The Venetian blind has a plurality of slats and includes control means operatively interconnecting the slats for opening and closing the slats upon actuation thereof and for raising and lowering the lower end of the blind upon actuation thereof. A driven means is attached to the window frame for actuating the control means and includes a lirst pulley operatively attached to the control means and having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along the groove. There is also included a drive meansV which is disposed on the opposite side of the mount means than the driven means and includes a second pulley having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along the groove and actuatable means comprising a crank operatively attached to the second pulley for rotating the second pulley. A motion transmitting means operatively interconnects the drive means and the driven means and includes; a first pair of conduits having rst ends thereof supported adjacent said rst pulley and extending about the mount means so that the second ends thereof are supported adjacent the second pulley, a second pair of conduits having rst ends thereof supported adjacent the second pulley, and a motion transmitting cable having opposite ends thereof movably disposed in respective ones of the second pair of flexible conduits and movably disposed in the rst pair of conduits to engage the first and second pulleys respectively. The cable includes means disposed thereabout for providing gear means engageable with the gear teeth means in the grooves of the pulleys so that upon actuation of the crank the second pulley rotates to move the cable, which in turn rotates the lirst pulley for actuation of the control means of the Venetian blind.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is an elevational view partly broken away and partly in cross section of a preferred embodiment of the window assembly of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross section taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross section taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a window assembly is shown generally at 10 and includes a window frame 14 rotatably mounted in a window casing 12. The window casing 12 is adapted to be supported in a building, the wall of which is shown at 16.

Mount means, generally shown at 18, are provided for rotatably mounting the window frame 14 in the window casing 12 and include the shafts 20 mounted in the window casing 12 and the wall 16 and extending into bushings or bearings 22. The bushings 22 are secured by welding, brazing, or the like, as shown at 24, to the window frame 14. The bushings 22 rotate about the shafts 20 so that the window frame 14 may be rotated relative to the window casing 12, as is illustrated in phantom in FIGURE 3, thereby allowing air to move into or out of the building in which the casing 12 is disposed.

A pair of spaced panes of glass 26 are mounted in the window frame 14 by the channels 28 of the window frame 14. Weather stripping 30, or the like, is disposed along the panes of glass 26 in the channels 28.

The window assembly 10 has a movable portion which is movable relative to the remainder of the assembly and includes a Venetian blind, generally shown at 32. The Venetian blind 32 having a plurality of slats 34 is secured to the window frame 14 between the two panes of glass 26. The Venetian blind 32 also comprises control means, including a shaft 36 rotatably disposed adjacent opposite ends 38 and 40 thereof in opposite sides of the window frame 14, and means operatively interconnecting the slats 34 and the shaft 36 `for opening and closing the slats 34 upon rotation of the shaft 36 and for raising and lowering the lower end 42 of the blind 32 upon rotation of the shaft 36. More specifically, the control means includes a pair of spaced exible supporting members 44 each of which extends from the lower end 42 of the blind to traverse each of the slats 34 along one side thereof and then is disposed, as shown at 46, about the shaft 36 and thereafter extends downwardly to traverse the other side of each of the slats 34 to return to the lower end 42 of the blind. The supporting members 44 are preferably made of a rope-like material and support the respective slats 34 by way of the cross pieces of material 48. The control means further includes a pair of spaced cords 50 each of which is attached at one end 52 to the shaft 36 and is attached at the other end 54 to the lower end 42 of the blind 32. The cords 50 extend through holes 56 in each of the respective slats 34.

The supporting members 44 are wrapped about the shaft, as shown at 46, so that as the shaft is rotated, the supporting members 44 will move to open or close the slats 34. The supporting members 44, however, will only move with the shaft 36 until the slats 34 are in theclosed position, where they are abutting one another, and thereafter the wrap 46 of each of the support members 44 allows the shaft 36 to rotate relative to the support members 44. For example, referring more particularly to FIG- URE 4, the shaft 36 may be rotated in a clockwise direction so that the left side of each of the slats 34 is moved upward as the right side of each of the slats 34 is moved downward until the slats 34 abut one another so that the Venetian blind is closed. When the slats 34 abut one another, the shaft 36 rotates independently of movement of the support members 44 due to the wrap 46, so that upon further rotation of the shaft 36, the cord 50 continues to wind about the shaft 36 and raises the lower end 42 of the blind.

Driven means, generally shown at 58, is provided for rotating the shaft 36 and includes a box `60 attached to the window frame 14 by an appropriate fastening means, such as the bolts `62.. The box 60 may be made in any appropriate manner, however, it is preferably made of molded plastic in two halves which are then secured together by a plastic rivet 64, or any other appropriate means. A pulley 66 is rotatably mounted in the box 60 at 68 and is operatively attached to the shaft 36 by way of the hexagon-shaped portion of the shaft 36 being inserted into a mating hexagonal hole 70 in the pulley 66. The pulley 66 has a groove 72 disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means 74 disposed at spaced intervals along the groove 72. The box 60 also has a pair of spaced holes 76 in the end thereof.

Drive means, generally shown at 78, is attached to the window frame 14 by bolts 80, or the like, on the opposite side of the mount means 18 than the driven means 58, as is more clearly illustrated in FIGURES l and 3. The drive means 78 includes a box 82 which, like box 60, is preferably made of molded plastic in two parts and then secured together by plastic rivets 84, or other appropriate means. A pulley 86 is rotatably disposed in the box 82, as indicated at 88 and 90. The pulley 86 also has a groove 92 disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means 94 disposed at spaced intervals along the groove 92.

A manually actuatable means, generally shown at 96, is operatively attached to the pulley 86 for rotating the pulley 86 and includes a gear 98 rotatably disposed in the box 82 and operatively connected to the pulley 86. The gear 98 and pulley 86 may be operatively connected together in any appropriate manner, for example, a shaft may be journaled in the box 82 at 88 and 90 with the pulley 86 and the gear 98 each respectively secured to the shaft so as to rotate therewith, or the gear 98 and pulley 86 may be integrally molded of plastic. A worm gear 100 is rotatably disposed in the box 82 and is in operative engagement with the gear 98. A crank 102, shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, is secured to a shaft 104 which is secured to the worm gear 100 so that upon rotation of the crank 102, the worm gear 100 will be rotated to rotate the gear 98 and, hence, to rotate the pulley 86. The shaft 104 extends through the window frame 14 so that the crank 102 is disposed on the outside or the exterior of the window frame 14 thereby to be readily manually graspable.

The box 82 also has a pair of spaced holes 106 in one end thereof and a pair of spaced holes 108 in the other end thereof.

A retaining means in the form of a conical clip 110 is disposed adjacent each of the holes 76, 106 and 1 08 in the boxes 60 and 82 respectively. The boxes 60 and 82 have cavities 112, adjacent the respective holes 76, 106 and 108, in which a conical clip 110 is disposed and retained. Each of the clips 110 has a slit 114 therealong which provides for spring-like expansion of each respective clip, the purpose of which will be explained more fully hereinafter.

There is also included a motion transmitting means, generally shown at 116 in FIGURES 1 and 3, for operatively interconnecting the drive means 58 and the driven means 78 and includes a first pair of flexible conduits 118 having lirst ends 120 supported adjacent the pulley 66 by being inserted through the holes 76 in the box 60 and retained by the clips 110. The ends 1200i the conduits 118 are inserted into the conical-shaped clips 110 to expand the clips so that each clip 110 bites into the circumference of the conduit 118 to prevent the conduit 118 from being pulled out of the box 60. The second ends 122 of the conduits 118 are similarly inserted into the holes 106 of the box 82 and retained in the clips 110 so that they are prevented from being pulled from the box 82. As is more clearly illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the conduits 118 extend from the driven means 58 about the mount means 18 and around a corner of the window frame 14 to the drive means 78. An important attribute of the instant invention is that the conduits 118 are flexible so that they may be disposed about the mount means 18 between the window frame 14 and the window casing 12, or may pass into the wall 16 adjacent the mount means 18 so as to lead to a drive means disposed in the wall 16 at a position remote from the window casing 12. The motion transmitting means 116 also includes a second pair of flexible conduits 124 having ends 126 supported adjacent the pulley 86 by being inserted through the holes 108 in the box 82 and retained in the clips 110 adjacent the holes 108. As illustrated in FIG- URE 1, the second pair of flexible conduits 124 extend along the window frame 14 away from the drive means 78. A motion transmitting cable 128 has one end movably disposed in one of the conduits 124 so as to extend through the box 82 to engage the groove 92 in the pulley 86 and then to extend through one of the conduits 118 so as to engage the groove 72 and the pulley 66 after which the cable 128 passes through the other of the conduits 118, through the box 82, and into the other of the conduits 124. The motion transmitting cable 128, therefore, has opposite ends movably disposed in respective ones of the pair of flexible conduits 124 and is movably disposed in the other pair of conduits 118 so as to engage the pulley 86 and the pulley 66. The cable 128 has a peripherally disposed means comprising the wire 130 helically wound thereabout on a short lead to form spaced convolutions providing gear means engageable with gear teeth means 74 and 94 of the respective pulleys 66 and 86. The cable 128 also includes an inner member 127 with a plurality of filaments 129 wound about the inner member 127 on a relatively long lead, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Due to the flexibility of the cable 128 and the conduits 118 and 124, the drive means 78 may be disposed anywhere about the window frame 14 or at a position remote from the window casing 12.

It is to be noted that the conduits 124 may be replaced by a continuous length of conduit having each of its ends inserted into the holes 108 of the box 82 so that an endless loop of cable may be slidably disposed in the conduits for engagement with the respective pulleys 66 and 86. It is also to be understood that many variations of the mount means 18 may be utilized to rotatably support the window frame 14 in the window casing 12. Also, an electric motor or the like may be utilized to actuate the drive means 78.

In operating the assembly, the crank 102 may be rotated to rotate the pulley 86 through the gears 98 and 100 so that the cable 128 is moved through the respective conduits 118 and 124 to rotate the pulley 66 which in turn rotates the shaft 36. Upon rotation of the shaft 36, the flexible supporting members 44 are moved to position the slats 34 while at the same time the cord 50 is wound about the shaft 36. Once the slats 34 are moved to a closed position, the flexible supporting members 44 will discontinue to move with the rotating shaft 36 so that there is relative movement between the shaft 36 and the flexible support members 44 whereby, upon closure of the slats 34, the shaft 36 rotates independently of the flexible support members 44 to wind the cords 50 about the shaft 36 to raise or lower the lower end 42 of the Venetian blind 32.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of Words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A window assembly comprising: a window casing; a window frame supporting a pair of spaced window panes; mount means for rotatably mounting said window frame in said window casing; a Venetian blind disposed between said panes and secured to said frame, said Venetian blind having a plurality of slats; control means operatively interconnecting said slats for opening and closing said slats upon actuation thereof and for raising and lowering the lower end of said blind upon actuation thereof; driven means attached to said window frame for actuating said control means; drive means disposed on the opposite side of said mount means.I from said driven means; and motion transmitting means operatively interconnecting said drive means and said driven means and including, a flexible motion transmitting cable engaging said drive means and extending along said window frame between said panes and then about said mount means to engage said driven means whereby upon actuation of said drive means said cable is moved to actuate said driven means for actuating said control means; a pair of flexible conduits having first ends thereof supported adjacent said driven means and having second ends thereof supported adjacent said drive means and extending about said mount means in said window frame; said flexible motion transmitting cable being movably disposed in said conduit; said mount means rotatably interconnecting said window frame and said window casing on each side of said window frame to mount said window frame for rotation about a horizontal axis; said control means including a shaft rotatably disposed at the ends thereof in opposite sides of said Window frame; said driven means including a first pulley operatively attached to said shaft and having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along said groove; said drive means including a second pulley having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along said groove; said cable having means disposed thereabout for defining gear means engageable with said gear teeth means in said groove of each of said pulleys.

2, An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a first box, said first pulley being rotatably disposed in said first box, said first box having a pair of spaced holes in one end thereof for receiving and retaining said first ends of said conduits, a second box, said second pulley being rotatably supported in said second box, said second box having a pair of spaced holes in each end thereof, said second ends of said conduits being received and retained in one pair of said holes in said second box, second `conduit means having ends thereof received and retained in the other pair of holes in said second box, said cable extending through said second box and being movably supported in said second conduit means.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including manually actuatable means operatively connected to said second pulley for rotating said second pulley, said control means including a pair of spaced flexible supporting members each extending from the lower end of said blind to traverse each of said slats along one .side thereof and disposed about said shaft and extending downward to traverse the other side of each of said slats and to said lower end for supporting said slats, a pair of spaced cords each attached at one end thereof to said shaft and attached at the other end thereof to said lower end of said blind, said supporting members being wrapped about said shaft so as to move with said shaft until said slats are closed and thereafter allowing said shaft to rotate relative thereto for wrapping said cords thereabout to raise and lower said lower end of said blind.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a conical clip retained adjacent each of said holes in said first and second boxes, each of said clips having a slit therealong for allowing spring-like expansion thereof, said ends of said conduits and said conduit means being retained in said clips.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a rst gear rotatably disposed in said second box and operatively connected to said second pulley for rotating said second pulley, a worm gear rotatably disposed in said second box and in operative engagement with said first gear, said manually actuable means comprises a crank attached to said worm gear for rotating said worm gear.

6. A window assembly comprising: a window casing; a window frame supporting a pair of spaced window panes; mount means for rotatably mounting said window frame in said window casing; a Venetian blind disposed between said panes and secured to said frame, said Venetian blind having a plurality of slats; control means operatively interconnecting said slats for opening and closing said slats upon actuation thereof and for raising and lowering the lower end of said blind upon actuation thereof, said control means including a shaft rotatably disposed in opposite sides of said window frame; driven means attached to said window frame for actuating said control means and including a first pulley operatively attached to said shaft and having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along said groove; drive means displaced from said driven means and including a second pulley having a groove disposed circumferentially thereabout with gear teeth means disposed at spaced intervals along said groove; motion transmitting means operatively interconnecting said drive means and said driven means and including a flexible motion transmitting cable having means disposed thereabout for defining gear means engageable with said gear teeth means in said grooves of each respective pulley, and a pair of flexible conduits having first ends disposed adjacent said driven means and second ends disposed adjacent said drive means, said cable being movably disposed in said conduits. l

7. A window assembly as set forth in claim 6 including a lirst box, said first pulley being rotatably disposed in said first box, a second box, said second pulley being rotatably supported in said second box.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 including a first gear rotatably disposed in said second box and operatively connected to said second pulley for rotating said second pulley, a worm gear rotatably disposed in said second box and in operative engagement with said first gear, said manually actuatable means comprises a crank attached to said worm gear for rotating said worm gear.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein at least one of said first and second boxes has a hole therein for receiving and retaining an end of a conduit, a conical clip retained adjacent said hole and having a slit therealong for allowing spring-like expansion thereof, and a conduit retained in said clip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,658,570 11/1953 Engel 160-107 X 2,943,514 7/1960 Golde 74 665 3,134,427 5 1964 Landenberger 160-168 FOREIGN PATENTS 718,703 9/1965 Canada. 587,858 1/1959 Italy.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Prima/'y Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, PETER M. CAUN,

Examiners. 

1. A WINDOW ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A WINDOW CASING; A WINDOW FRAME SUPPORTING A PAIR OF SPACED WINDOW PANES; MOUNT MEANS FOR FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID WINDOW FRAME IN SAID WINDOW CASING; A VENETIAN BLIND BLIND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PANES AND SECURED TO SAID FRAME, SAID VENETIAN BLIND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLATS; CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTING SAID SLATS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID SLATS UPON ACTUATION THEREOF AND FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE LOWER END OF SAID BLIND UPON ACTUATION THEREOF; DRIVEN MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID WINDOW FRAME FOR ACTUATING SAID CONTROL MEANS; DRIVE MEANS DISPOSED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID MOUNT MEANS FROM SAID DRIVEN MEANS; AND MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTING SAID DRIVE MEANS AND SAID DRIVEN MEANS AND INCLUDING, A FLEXIBLE MOTION TRANSMITTING CABLE ENGAGING SAID DRIVE MEANS AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID WINDOW FRAME BETWEEN SAID PANES AND THEN ABOUT SAID MOUNT MEANS TO ENGAGE SAID DRIVEN MEANS WHEREBY UPON ACTUATION OF SAID DRIVE MEANS SAID CABLE IS MOVED TO ACTUATE SAID DRIVEN MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID CONTROL MEANS; A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE CONDUITS HAVING FIRST ENDS THEREOF SUPPORTED ADJACENT SAID DRIVEN MEANS AND HAVING SECOND ENDS THEREOF SUPPORTED ADJACENT SAID DRIVE MEANS AND EXTENDING ABOUT SAID MOUNT MEANS IN SAID WINDOW FRAME; SAID FLEXIBLE MOTION TRANSMITTING CABLE BEING MOVABLY DISPOSED IN SAID CONDUIT; SAID MOUNT MEANS ROTATABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID 